Hug in a bowl

Any time Sameer Uttamsingh founder Acme Hospitality and cofounder of Bun amp Only feels low his instant therapy is cooking ldquoFood that provides a great deal of contentment and simply makes me feel good is comfort food It feeds the body mind and soulrdquo he shares adding that a big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs does the trick for himOf meatballs and marinaraIngredientsFor the meatballsgtgt 500 gm minced chicken gtgt 1 egg gtgt 12 cup panko breadcrumbsgtgt 12 cup grated parmesangtgt 2 tbsp olive oil gtgt 12 tsp garlic powder gtgt 12 tsp onion powder gtgt 12 tsp salt gtgt Black pepper to tasteFor smoky marinara saucegtgt 15 tbsp oil gtgt 12 piece onion gtgt 300 gm tomatoes gtgt 2 tsp garlic gtgt 1 tbsp tomato paste gtgt 12 tsp sugar gtgt 1 tsp salt gtgt 2 tsp smoked paprika gtgt 2 tbsp EVOOMethodFor the meatballs preheat the oven to 400degC Line a baking sheet with foil and cooking spray Mix all ingredients Roll the mixture into 30 small balls Place on the baking sheet Bake for 30 minutes For the sauce heat a pan and add oil Add finely chopped onions and cook until translucent Season with garlic Tip in the tomatoes and cook covered for 20 to 30 minutes Season with tomato paste sugar salt and smoked paprika powder Finish off with EVOO Spoon the marinara over the meatballs and cooked spaghetti Garnish with finely chopped parsley parmesanToast to comfortConsidering the sweltering heat in the city chef and caterer Rhea Mitra Dalal shares that shersquos been turning to sandwiches for comfort ldquoBreakfast is the only meal I look forward to We stock up on cold cuts We add sandwich fillers spreads and cheese and itrsquos readyrdquo she says She is partial to a desi French toast sandwich with cheese and chilliIngredientsgtgt 4 bread slices gtgt 2 eggsgtgt 23 tbsp milkgtgt 2 cheese slicesgtgt 1 tsp finely chopped green chilliesgtgt Salt to tastegtgt Oil or butterMethodBeat the eggs with salt and milk Heat a flat frying pan and put oil or butter Dip a slice of bread into the beaten egg let it soak for 10 seconds on each side and place it on the hot pan Fry the slice on both sides till you get a crisp coating Fry two slices at a time at least so you can assemble the sandwich before they cool down Place one hot slice and then put a slice of cheese Sprinkle chopped chillies and then cover with the other fried bread slice The cheese will melt and become gooeyNaantastic escapeldquoComfort food stays true to the belief that all eating is possibly emotional eating These foods provide a nostalgic or sentimental value and are characterised by simple preparationrdquo explains Ishijyot Surri executive chef SJI Hospitality and Foods citing the example of vegetable khichdi or potato mash slathered with gravy He shares his recipe for Zarsquoatar cheese naanIngredientsgtgt 1 flatbreadnaangtgt 45 ml EVOOgtgt 15 gm zarsquoatar spicegtgt 1 clove garlicgtgt 40 gm processed cheesegtgt Crushed red pepper to tastegtgt Sea salt to tasteMethodPreheat the oven to 180degC Mix together olive oil zarsquoatar and chopped garlic Place the flatbreadnaan on a baking sheet Spread the olive oilzarsquoatar mixture on the bread followed by cheese Sprinkle crushed red pepper and a pinch of sea salt Bake for five minutes Slice and serve hot